Metal sheet-piling.



No. 744,361. PATENTED-NOV. 17, 1903.

. F. N. KNBAS.-

METAL SHEET FILING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 1903 NO MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 17, 1903.

' PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK N. KNEAS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,361, dated November17, 1903. Application filed September 14, 1903. Serial No. 173,050. (Nomodel.)

To a wlwm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK N. KNEAS, a citi zen of the United States,residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Metal Sheet-Piling; and I declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates in general to sheetpiling, and more particularly tometal sheetpiling or sheathing for retaining earth,quicksand, water, orsimilar substances in constructing caissons and cofferdams and inprotecting earth excavations.

My invention has forits primary object the provision of a metalsheet-piling or sheathing consisting in a series of parallel members oftrough-shaped cross-section which may be readily driven into positionfor use with their adjoining flanged edges overlapped and interlocked.

A further object of my invention is to provide a metal sheet-piling orsheathing which will be comparatively simple in construction,

inexpensive in manufactu re, and efficient and durable in use.

My invention generally described consists in a sheet-piling composed oftrough-shaped metal members having their adjacent flanged edgesoverlapped and means for retaining the adjoining members in engagementwitheach other, so as to prevent lateral relative movement thereof, butso as to permit longi tudinal relative movement in order that the.

view similar to Fig; 1 of a modified embodi ment of the invention, andFig. 3 a view looking downwardly with respect to Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters are used to destions, as shown at b and bignate similar parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A indicates a metal member trough-shaped in cross-section and comprisinga central portion, from the side edges of which projectoutwardly-inclined wings or flanges A and A Each of the wings or flangesA and A is offset, as shown at aand M, such offset extending the entirelength of the member.

Secured to the'inner surfaces of the wings A and A are strips B and BAny suitable securing devices may be employed-such, for instance, asrivets b b. The ends of the strips B and B which project beyond thewings A and A are bent outwardly in opposite direc The strips 13 and Bform, in connection with the offset portions of the wings A and Achannels or grooves, which receive the flanges on cooperating members 0and G which are also formed trough-shaped in cross-section. The flange con the member 0 is received within the channel formed by the ofisetportion a ofthe wing A and the angle-strip B, thereby retaining themembers A and G in interlocked engagement, so that such members arelaterally immovable, but may be moved relatively longitudinally, therebyenabling the members to besuccessively driven and coincidentlyinterlocked. The member is in a similar manner engaged with the wing Aof the member A by means of its flange 0 being received within thechannel formed by the offset a of the wing A and the anglestrip B Inlieu of offsetting the wings A and A of the member A filler-strips B Bmay be interposed between the outwardly-flaring wings A and A and thestrips B and 13*, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. In such construction therivets b serve to retain the filler-strips between the Wings of themember A and the The angle-strips B and B may extend the entire lengthof the member A, as shown at B in Fig. 3, or such strips may be locatedat intervals along the wings of the member A, as shown at B in Fig. 3.

The material of which the cooperating members are formed is preferablysteel, which may be rolled to assume the desired troughshapedcross-section.

When it is desired to construct a piling or sheathing of curved contour,it is only necessary to bend the trough-sections to a degree conformingto the piling or sheathing which is to be erected. It is also obviousthat in forming corners the trough-shaped members may be bent in thedirection of their length, the two bent portions forming an angle ofninety degrees to each other.

The manner of using my invention is as follows: One of the membersforinstance, Ois driven at the point where it is desired to erect thepiling or sheathing, after Which the member A is engaged with thepreviouslydriven member C by the flange a being received within thechannel formed between the wing A of the member A and the anglestrip B.After thus engaging the adjacent edges of the members 0' and A thelatter may be driven, after which a second member 05 is engaged with thechannel formed in the wing A of the member A and also driven intoposition. In a similar manner any desired number of members may beinterlocked and driven in succession, so as to form a structure of thedesired length.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have inventedan improved metal sheet-piling or sheathing composed of a series ofmembers of trough-shaped crosssection, the side wings or flanges ofadjacent members being overlapped and so interlocked as to preventlateral movement of the engaged members; but so as to permit the membersto be successively driven into operative position.

It will be further observed by forming the members of trough-shapedcross-section they may be readily interlocked and when interlocked forma piling or sheathing which is strong in construction and at the sametime requires a minimum amount of metal in its construction.

While I have described more or less precisely the details ofconstruction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto,as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, and thesubstitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or renderexpedient Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a metal sheet-piling, the combination with a member comprising acentral section and flaring wings at the side edges thereof, stripssecured to said wings, and means for spacing said strips from thesurfaces of said wings thereby forming channels to interlock withcooperating members.

2. In a metal sheet-piling, the combination with a member comprising acentral section and flaring wings at the side edges thereof, ofangle-strips secured to said wings and extending around the side edgesthereof, and means for spacing said strips from the edges of the wingsthereby forming channels to interlock with cooperating members.

3. In a metal sheet-piling, the combination with a member comprising acentral section and flaring wings at the side edges thereof, said wingsbeing offset laterally their entire length, and strips secured to andforming with said offset portions of said wings channels to interlockwith cooperating members.

4. In a metal sheet-piling, the combination with a member comprising acentral section and flaring wings at the sides thereof, said wings beingolfset laterally their entire length, and angle-strips secured to saidwings and extending around the side edges thereof thereby formingchannels between said strips and said offsetportions of the wings tointerlock with cooperating members.

5. A metal sheet-piling comprising a series of trough-shaped membershaving their adjacent wings overlapped, strips secured to the innersurfaces of the wings of alternate members, means for spacing saidstrips from the wings to which they are secured thereby forming channelsto receive the wings on the adjoining members.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK N. KNEAS.

Witnesses:

GEO. L. WILKINSON, G. O. CUNNINGHAM.

